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Pac-12 independent review rules no further action needed in Ed Rush/Arizona case

Sean Miller

Arizona head coach Sean Miller gestures during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Colorado in the finals of the Pac-12 conference championship in Los Angeles, Saturday, March 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

AP

In early April allegations that former Pac-12 head of officiating Ed Rush placed a bounty on Arizona head coach Sean Miller in advance of the Pac-12 tournament sparked a great amount of conversation.

In the Wildcats’ Pac-12 semifinal loss to UCLA, Miller was hit with a technical foul that many would describe as “dubious.”

Miller claimed in the postgame press conference to have merely said that “he [a UCLA defender] touched the ball” following a double dribble called on point guard Mark Lyons.

For his comments directed towards a game official and a Pac-12 staffer Miller ended up $25,000 lighter in the wallet. And after reports of the “bounty” surfaced Rush would eventually resign his post.

In the aftermath of that the conference had an independent party, Ice Miller Collegiate Sports Practice, review the entire situation and the group released its findings on Sunday. As a result of the findings, it was concluded that the actions taken by the conference were appropriate and no further actions need be taken.

“The Pac-12 CEO Group fully reviewed and discussed the Ice Miller report and agreed that is was an objective analysis of all known facts surrounding the officiating dispute at this year’s Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Tournament,” Pac-12 CEO Group Chair Edward J. Ray said in a statement released by the conference.

“The CEO Group accepted the report, agreed there is no further action required, and determined that this independent review brings closure to the matter.”

Ice Miller concluded the following:


  • Rush’s “bounty” statements were neither offered nor taken literally;
  • Rush’s pregame statements affected the officiating of bench decorum in the Arizona-UCLA game;
  • The Arizona-UCLA game was officiated with integrity;
  • The disciplinary sanctions imposed upon Miller were within the commissioner’s authority and reasonable.

Below is the full report in .pdf format.

ice-miller-independent-review-public

Raphielle can be followed on Twitter at @raphiellej.